Dream Lover
by zennahrose
Summary: Things are starting to get back to the way they were... until kagome shows up. rated m for future chapters. R&R :D
1. Last night

He stared at her facebook page, like he had every day since she first disappeared. Still nothing. She hadn't logged in for almost three months. She'd been gone for all this time and there was still nothing. Summer was over. "You better get your ass in gear if you want a ride to school." His older sister Kagura called interrupting his wallowing. He sat there for a minute longer before closing out of hr profile and shutting down his laptop.

"You're such an asshole Naraku. You aren't even listening to me." Kagura muttered to him as she pulled up to his school. He'd only been grunting in response to her tirade about her bitchy coworker or something for the past fifteen minutes. "What?" he mumbled back into reality. He was looking out the window for that thin leggy raven-haired sex goddess. Maybe she would show up today? With it being the first day back and everything. "Get the fuck out of my car." She sounded seriously annoyed. He wondered what he'd done to deserve that. Nothing. That's right, he always did nothing. "Alright. Have a wonderful day." He grumbled bitterly as she sped off, leaving him standing there in front of hell itself. Why were the women in his life so temperamental? Even mom with that whole affair with that yoga instructor. He only shrugged at it. While Kagura sobbed for hours on end about there parents squashed marriage. "Hey." A girls voice lauded him. And he realized he'd been standing there pondering that. He gave her a slight nod. Only because he couldn't remember her name. the only reason he wasn't bothered by her presence was because she sort of looked like Kagome. But at the same time she sort of didn't look like her at all. "So how was your summer?" she asked that painfully mundane question. There was absolutely no mistaking her for Kagome. " Terrible." He admitted honestly. His pessimism made her cringe slightly. "Maybe if you're good I'll let you walk me home." She said as if she were doing him a favor. "No thanks. My sisters picking me up." He muttered before walking away from her. " Asshole." He heard her mutter before he got too far away. He smirked. That word was getting thrown around a lot lately to describe his newfound disposition on life. If being heartbroken made him an asshole, then so be it.

Why was everyone so excited about being seniors? It was the end. This was the end. From now on it was all just planning for the rest of their lives. Even today, at the seniors welcome back assembly. College this and future that. Fuck it. So much for welcome back. "Fuck this." Koga's words mirrored his thoughts. He nodded, still distracted as his eyes scanned the auditorium. He was looking for her. "Figured shed be back by now." Koga mumbled candidly. Bitter mostly because he had been burned by her too. "What?" Naraku pretended not to know who he was referring to. The girl of both their dreams. "Nothing." He responded dryly, falling back into that uncomfortable silence that seemed to settle between them a lot lately. Maybe it was because at one point they had been fucking the same girl. So much for best friends too. They weren't so inseparable anymore.

He probably drank more than he should of. "You're not taking all of those. There is no way." Inuyasha challenged him pompously as the row of seven straight tequila shots sat out in front of him. Just a typical school night. "Watch me." He remarked snidely, waggling his eyebrows angelically. He ran his hand through his mop of dark hair and threw a couple back. Then another one and another one. Until all the liquid poison was gone. He regretted that sorely as he was now lying in his own vomit listening to the sounds of a creaky mattress. Which was only amplified by his intense headache. His bedside alarm clock read 5:00 AM. How the fuck did he get home anyway? He heard loud snoring then too, and sat up only to find Koga sleeping soundly in his bed. Under the blankets and all. He yanked the pillow out from beneath his head, but that still didn't wake him. There was a bottle filled with a liquid of some sort on his dresser. He dumped it on him, grinning in slight amusement as he did so. "What the fuck?" Koga shouted shooting up from the bed. Naraku chuckled surprisingly. "What the fuck was that?" he grumbled pacing around the room looking for a towel or at least something clean to dry himself off with. And things settled down after that. "You brought me home." Naraku mentioned as a sort of thank you. Koga nodded not bothering to note the fact that he'd been mumbling slurred things about Kagome or that he found interesting photos of her on his laptop. He had that ammunition at least. "You were trashed I'm pretty sure you fucked a freshman." Koga laughed at his best friends idiocy. Naraku groaned. "Shit. I think I remember that." He sounded despondent. "I think that's illegal." Koga piped up again. "Fuck you." He shot back playfully. It was banter like this that made him believe things were starting to get back to normal. "No. But seriously man, I think your mom gets more action then both of us." he joked back. They were quite for a minute listening to the faint creaky mattress. Naraku grimaced and fell back onto his bed. " I think that one is the mailman." He mumbled before burrowing his head into his pillow. And then before he knew it 6:00 rolled around and it was time for him to get his shit together and ready for school.

"Your sister is fucking hot. When are you gonna give me the hookup?" Koga lauded as they walked up to school together. Another sign that things were good again. "You're funny as shit. Did you know that?" He grumbled glowering at him. Koga shrugged. "So no then? It's cool I'd rather have your mom anyway." He called after Naraku as he walked away only throwing him an easy middle finger over his shoulder. "What man? Your mom is sexy. I love experienced women." He continued to taunt him. It was all welcomed though. They had to make up for lost time. "I see you two fucked and made up." Miroku remarked snidely as he approached them in the cafeteria. He gave them each a fist pound. "Yeah. Right after I fucked your girlfriend." Koga retorted. Miroku rolled his eyes, "I heard you got monumentally fucked up last night." He began sinisterly pressing his palms together. He found other peoples misfortunes highly entertaining. Naraku grunted and downed the rest of his red bull. "Holy fuck! Naraku!" Inuyasha shouted rushing across the cafeteria toward them, before he could even open his mouth to tell Miroku the story of last night. "Oh my fucking god. You know that girl you fucked. Her older brother is looking for you." He informed them. Naraku shrugged. Honestly he could careless if some girls older brother wanted to kick his ass. "Who's her brother?" Koga asked carefully noticing the frantic look on their friends face. He was out of breath too. "Where is that little shit Naraku?" they heard a voice shout from the opposite side of the cafeteria. It was Bankotsu. Resident badass. He had been in juvy about five times and he had a fucking cobra tattooed on his face. Naraku stood up fearlessly. "What the fuck are you doing?" Koga questioned dubiously. Sure Naraku could hold his own in a fist fight but this guy was insane. Literally. Bankotsu spotted him and sauntered forward. Naraku did the same meeting him halfway. He didn't even bother with an intro. His face puckered in preparation for the blow to the face, and then he was on the floor blacking out. "Stay the fuck away from my little sister asshole." He heard the voice grumble before things went completely dark.


	2. Paris & cheesepuffs

The days were becoming more bearable. Even with the occasional nod in his direction and examining gaze. People were still talking about him getting clocked by Bankotsu. He couldn't really blame them. It happened in front of half the school. He shrugged. You winsome and you lose some. But sometimes you get knocked the fuck out. He pondered this as he sat alone in the library, the only peaceful place in this school. He'd even managed to open a bag of cheesepuffs discreetly and he began to munch on them while the librarian took inventory. He smirked to himself as he put his ipod in and turned the volume to MAX. Maybe the Distillers could soothe his soul. It was worth a shot. His friends would never find him in here. They'd probably never even stepped foot in the library. That comforted him for some odd reason. And he just sat there unsuspecting as an oddly feminine hand reached into his beloved bag of cheesepuffs. Black fingernails . Scorpion ring. Thin wrist decorated with bracelets. Naraku turned his head to be face to face with the familiar stranger. She smirked at him as his mouth hung wide open in surprise. He took his headphones out, but quickly resumed pretending to study English lit. "Must've been one hell of a summer for you. You missed orientation." He muttered bitterly, flipping through the pages in the battered book. The second week of school was nearly coming to an end at this point. Her smile slackened. "I was in Paris. With my mom. Its nice to get away sometimes." She said quietly. Almost apologetic. But she never apologized for the things that she did. That's just who she was. He remembered that. "Right. I really appreciate all the phone calls and emails and letters you sent my way." He scoffed making her feel bad. He hadn't realized how angry he was either. "Sorry about that. Its really easy to get lost in beauty you know." She mumbled inwardly. He fully understood that. "Your eye." She whispered in soft surprise finally noticing the fading black eye hidden by the screen of his hair. He had almost forgotten about that. The eye anyway. "This guy sucker punched me in the locker room." He lied easily gaining her sympathy. Then he couldn't help but look at her. And those surreal blue eyes. She looked so good. He bit his lip keeping the words in. this is what she did to people. "sorry about that too." Her lips mouthed the words as she said them. He shrugged. "Who knew

Paris made people so apologetic." He let the anger slip out again. She nodded acceptingly. "I guess I deserved that. So, your summer was…" she began hoping he wouldn't fill out the blank with something like, I fucked a lot of girls and didn't miss you at all. So in other words: good. "It actually sucked. Except Kikyo cheated on Inuyasha with some lifeguard in palm springs and gave him crabs." He smiled at his friends misfortune. "No surprise there." She joked feeling that freedom to again. He made her feel welcomed when he smiled like that. Even if it wasn't meant for her to see. There was that meaningful silence again. "I thought about you everyday. I just thought you should know that." She said quietly interrupting his racing thoughts. It seemed like an apology. A sincere one at that. She got up from the seat beside him and abruptly left. He looked after her departing figure and sighed. Then his eye landed on something she had left behind. A bundle of unstamped postcards. It looked like there were about one hundred of them. He smiled on the inside. So she did have a heart after all.


	3. Friends & lovers

They didn't speak of her presence. Not trying to jinx things. Naraku wondered if he got one hundred postcards with the small beginnings of a love letter scribbled on the back of them. He loved the way she wrote his name. Shit. It was happening again. Naraku stood back and watched as Koga made his way over to the drinks. He casually bumped into her and she smiled in surprise and joy to see him. He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she giggled a lot. And when he held his arms open for a hug she complied, and wrapped her slender arms around his neck while his big hands engulfed her small waist and frame. Naraku scoffed. It was just a hug though. Right? He got the meaningful words. "She's back." Inuyasha muttered appearing at the worst time possible. He shrugged. "Its kind of depressing to know that girls aren't as innocent as we like to think." He mumbled darkly this time. Maybe referring to his own screwed up love life. Naraku stared at him dubiously. "Like you know in your heart that whatever shit she throws at you, you'll take it lying down. And at anytime she could just fuck some guy in a cleaning supply closet. He grumbled finishing off the rest of his drink. He was definitely drunk, and talking about his situation with Kikyo. Naraku sighed. It wasn't the same. Kikyo fucked some stranger. Some guy Inuyasha would never have to face. Not his best friend. Kagome gave him that look of hers from across the room. "There all the same. With their cute little text messages. Fuck her." He piped up again tossing his own empty cup aside a taking Naraku's drink. He dry sobbed falling against his friends shoulder. Naraku patted his back reluctantly. Girls really did fuck with your head thoroughly didn't they.

He allowed himself to get caught up. The music. The drinking. She asked him to dance and he couldn't deny her and she knew that. Then she kissed him and cast her evil spell again. Then he woke up in bed with her sound asleep beside him naked under his comforter. "I know you're awake. You have my fucking blow-dryer." Kagura pounded on his bedroom door. She was relentless. So he slipped on his boxers and poked his head out the door. "Seriously. Why the fuck would I have your blow-dryer?" he asked trying to sound pissed, but he was unable to wipe the smug grin off his face. Kagura raised an eyebrow then laughed. "Holy shit. You got laid last night. Didn't you." She said highly amused. "Its about time. Who's the lucky lady? Do I know her?" she asked quickly trying to push the door open. He tried to stop her, unsuccessfully. "Oh. Wow." She sounded a bit disappointed, seeing Kagome fast asleep in his bed. After the way she fucked him over last year, he still only had eyes for her. He rolled his eyes. "Frankly, I don't give a rats ass about your opinion. Out." He muttered towering over his big sister by a little more than a foot. She scoffed as he shoved her out the door. "You really are an asshole." She protested as the door slammed shut on her face. He sighed and turned around. "Got any aspirin?" that lovely voice chimed bringing his dull room to life again. She smiled as she ruffled her own dark wavy hair. He smiled back at her then climbed into bed again. It was Sunday, an easy day. Maybe they could spend it together. He hoped. He watched her quietly as he laid on his back. The way the little pill was consumed by her raspberry lips. She fell back onto his bed and looked in his eyes. "Aren't you gonna ask me how my summer was?" she whispered taking his hand, and tracing his calloused palm with her pinky. He scoffed playfully. "Like I really want you to recap your summer escapades with Jean- Claude and Pierre and whatever other French dudes you were with." He mumbled looking up at his ceiling dizzily. Her face fell. The tracing stopped. "That's how you think I spent my summer vacation?" her voice questioned him. He shrugged. "Well didn't you?" he was being so mean. She held her breath for a second, not wanting to prove him right. There had been Francisco and Renee but that was all. She pulled out a novelty postcard from her purse instead. "Mom sends her love." She said instead giving him that evasive smile of hers. She handed him a picture of her mom, Mina hanging off of some French man with a bouquet in her hand. He took it and chuckled. "You're mom married some French guy?" he wasn't that surprised at all. Mina made his mom look like Carol Brady. Kagome bit her lip, fighting the smirk. "Yup." She said matter-of-factly. She seemed so unaffected by it. But he knew better. "I don't even think he speaks English." She added in making Naraku laugh even more. He saw the disapproving look on her face. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He managed between fits of laughter. Until it finally died down. "She looks really happy though." He added examining the picture again. Kagome punched him in the arm. "You're not funny." She warned him jokingly. But their hands found each other again and mingled. Kagome looked down and smiled. "I missed this." She admitted openly. What happened to her? "And your Downy scented sheets." She joked earning a squinty eyed grin from him. "What. They didn't have clean sheets in Paris?" he mocked her. "No way." She whispered hotly, sitting up so she was looking down on him. So that her long hair brushed against his bare skin. Then his phone just had to ruin it. Kagome smirked apologetically. Naraku glared at his phone. It was Koga. He couldn't ignore it. Koga would call until he got an answer. "Its Koga." He informed her, not really sure what that meant. Kagome shrugged. "Answer it." She said trivially falling back against his chest. "Yeah?" he answered it roughly, hoping his voice didn't give away anything. "You'll never believe this man. Well actually you will but whatever." He began excitedly. Naraku opened his mouth to speak. "Miroku got fired from Dunkin Donuts and he bagged like seventy donuts!" he blurted out anyway. "That's cool I guess." He said plainly. He could careless. He was lying in bed with the love of his life. "Fuck yeah man. We're on our way over now. So get ready to fucking pig-out alright." He said before hanging up abruptly not giving Naraku the chance to object. "Shit." He groaned "Shit." He sat up and slipped a shirt on. "What's up?" Kagome asked as she watched him race around the room picking up her clothes as he did. He tossed them at her. "What the fuck Naraku?" she grumbled as her own underwear hit her in the face. "They're coming over. You have to go." He said insensitively. "Um. Alright. Asshole." She muttered slipping on her dress and sequined shrug from last night. "I'm sorry. I just…I need to talk to him first. Before he knows about us. And you being here, being you…doesn't help." He put it as best as he could. He hated himself for ruining this peaceful morning. "Your loser friends are here!" Kagura called up the stairs. He was screwed. There was no way she could leave without them seeing her. But he didn't want her to go. "Hide in the closet." He said quickly thinking it up. Kagome ignored him and slipped on her ankle boots. "I'm going home." She muttered angrily feeling rejected. Of course he would hold his friends above her. What was she thinking. "I don't want you to leave. Just let me take care of them okay," he assured her, grabbing her arm so she wouldn't walk away. She stood there arms crossed. "You don't have to do that." She whispered softly. "I want to." He shrugged falling under her thumb again. "Dude. I don't give a shit if your masturbating. We're coming up." Koga's voice boomed, barreling up the stairs. His bedroom door flew open. This was painfully awkward. "Lot of donuts." Naraku noticed the bags in each of their hands. "Hey Kagome." Inuyasha trivially as he chewed on a jelly filled donut. She nodded on his direction, "Inuyasha, Miroku… Koga." She greeted them passively. Koga tipped his hat to her, satirically. "I'm just gonna go now." She piped up again, not at all comfortable with the tension in the room. "Call me. Alright." She said before walking out the door. Koga looked after her longingly. She smelled like rose petals and summer rain. To him at least. "We'll be downstairs." Miroku chimed in sensing the vibe. He grabbed Inuyasha and pulled him along. Koga chuckled darkly. "I should've known. You two looked pretty fucking cozy at that party last night." He accused still leaning against the door frame. Naraku didn't know what to say. "She just got back. You didn't even hesitate to swoop in did you? Fuck Koga feelings right? Fuck me." He grumbled inwardly. "Its not like that man. She wrote to me and shit. Fuck, I don't know. Sorry." He was utterly sincere. He hurt his best friend. It was obvious that Koga was hurt. He would see the way Kagome looked at him. She never looked at anyone else that way. Meaningfully. "I just need to know. If its alright with you. I need you to say its okay." Naraku pleaded after it fell silent for too long. Koga shrugged. "Its nothing Naraku. Do whatever the fuck you want." He dismissed the touchy subject before disappearing downstairs again. He heard the front door slam, then things were quite again.


	4. Love, actually

They were official. Like facebook official. And he loved the fact that he could call Kagome his girlfriend. And the fact that he was her boyfriend. He walked through the halls in school with his arm around her, constantly smiling down at her as she grinned up. Like they were indulging in some private joke that no one else was allowed in on. "Don't eat all my fries, pig." She fake scolded him as they sat alone together secluded from the rest of the cafeteria. He smirked, grabbing a handful of fries to shove in his mouth. "These are good fries." He said with his mouth full, spewing food debris everywhere. She laughed despite herself. "Real classy." She teased shoving her plate of French fries forward. Naraku happily finished them off and washed them down with her cherry coke. Koga spotted them as he headed towards the only snack machine the sold Funions. They were all smiles and hand jobs. It was a little sickening. He exchanged glances with Naraku. He looked sympathetic whereas Koga glared bitterly. "Whoa. Harsh." Kagome mumbled quietly as Koga sauntered away from them without even a simple hello/goodbye. He was still distant. Naraku shrugged. "He'll get over it. Eventually." He hoped. She shrugged, contemplating. "His birthday." She began. "We should totally throw him a huge bomb ass party. Then he'll love us again." She pitched the wondrous idea. He smiled deviously while nodding his head. "That's actually a good idea." He commended her. She took offense to his surprise and tossed a French fry at him. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." Inuyasha chided cynically as he plopped down beside Kagome. Kikyo had claimed his usual table. "No. We're actually glad to see you," Kagome started, smiling slightly. "Speak for yourself." Naraku muttered. She ignored him. "We're throwing Koga a birthday party." She informed him excitedly. Inuyasha stared between the two of them dubiously. "Is that before or after we hit up every bar in the city?" he asked dully, taking a bite out of his burger. So much for that plan.

"He didn't invite us. So he obviously doesn't want us here." Naraku protested weakly as Kagome dragged him into the fifth bar on their checklist. The guys were moving pretty fast. He spotted them at a booth in the back, with them being the rowdiest people there of course. They were all drunk by now. Maybe this was a mistake. "Come on. Don't be a pussy." She taunted him wryly as she pulled his arm along. They made their way over to their loud group of friends. And the laughter and mindless chatter died down when they did. "Hey guys." Naraku greeted them uneasily. Coming here had been a mistake. "Hey asshole." Miroku responded passively. Were there teams now or something? "Happy birthday man. Eighteen years." He mumbled stupidly, scratching the back of his neck. Kagome stood slightly behind him, not wanting to flaunt their relationship any more then necessary. Koga scoffed. "I'm buying more shots." He said plainly, getting up, pushing past them. Kagome gave Naraku a subtle signal to go after him. "My treat." Naraku offered in a saintly sort of way. Koga shot him a dirty look. "I can pay for my own drinks. What the fuck are you even doing here?" he refuted him. Naraku handed the bartender the money anyway, while Koga dug in his wallet. "That doesn't make up for anything." He informed him, grabbing the shots off the bar. "Didn't think it would." Naraku shrugged. "She's my girlfriend Koga. You're my boy. I love both you guys." He admitted maturely. Koga looked over at the beautiful girl. She was sitting amongst their friends laughing, and drinking beer. She was perfect. But he had to get over her, and he knew that. "You win. She chose you." He surrendered sadly. "Just don't make out in front of me." He added before walking away. Naraku smiled, following behind him. Everyone cheered as they brought the drinks over. Koga sat down beside Kagome in a friendly sort of way, and Naraku sat beside him, sandwiching his best friend between two people that really cared about him.


	5. Tall cool one

He dreamed about her again last night. Not purposely. Just the kind of dream he had after settling down for a peaceful, unsuspecting sleep. They had good times together. He remembered that. Laying in bed all day, hitting the ignore button on his cell phone, laughing. What went wrong? What made him so special? So this day was doomed from the start. So it wouldn't really matter if he stumbled into first period anatomy class late this morning would it? "You're late." Mr. Myoga scolded him as soon as he entered the classroom. "No shit." Koga muttered, scanning the room for an open seat. Miroku was paired up with Sango. Kikyo was pretty much a pariah since her messy breakup with Inuyasha, and he didn't like anyone else in that class. And there she was, sitting alone off to the side of the room, tinkering with a synthetic human heart. "Partners?" he questioned dully, not even excited about this. She nodded. "You sure are chipper this morning Bright Eyes." She teased him sarcastically, using her old nickname for him. He cracked a smile. "So what the hell are we doing?" he asked rolling up his sleeves in preparation. Kagome smiled deviously, and picked up a scalpel. "We're gonna dismember this thing." She said, getting too much joy from that. And they did just that. Poking at the eerily realistic heart, as realistic blood spurted everywhere. "No! Not okay!" Mr. Myoga shouted as he marveled at the mess they'd created. "I always get in trouble when I'm with you. I guess things never change." Kagome mused as they sat in the hallway awaiting their punishment. Koga nodded thoughtfully. "Likewise." He muttered fondly raising an eyebrow at her. "Hey Koga." Some pretty redhead greeted him as she passed by. He nodded slightly. "She's hot." Kagome said encouragingly. He scoffed. Was he really that pathetic? "I don't like her. But you can totally go for it." He mumbled dryly. She rolled her eyes. "Then who do you like?" she asked pointedly. He stared at her dubiously, making that moment one hundred times more awkward. "I'm really gross. I didn't take a shower this morning." She informed him only gaining another eyebrow raise. Sadly, that didn't disgust him at all. "What happened to us? I really loved us." He murmured sadly after it was silent for too long. "We were never a couple." She reminded him, painfully. "Neither were you and him." He spat back, turning this into an argument she didn't want to have. "I'm in love with him Koga. I really am. Like I wake up in the morning and I can't wait to see his face. I'm not alive until he kisses me." She admitted to him the honest truth. He closed his eyes. It was different hearing it from her lips. "I love you Koga. I care about you. But I'm in love with him." She piped up again making him cringe. "Got it." He muttered heartbreakingly, before gathering his books and getting up to walk away. "I'm sorry I fucked everything up." She apologized meekly, sensing his distress. "It's fine." He lied terribly.

Home wasn't really an option tonight. His dad had probably gotten home by now and found a few more reasons to hate and berate him. Koga scrolled through his contacts trying to figure out whose place he'd be hitting up tonight. Miroku? "Hey man? Can you chill right now….alright. Fuck you then." He grumbled into the receiver. "Inuyasha, there's this party up in…. fuck no I didn't take notes in Latin." He groaned before hanging up on his increasingly unreliable friends. "You have got to be kidding me." He muttered, receiving an incoming call from his so called best friend. He let it go to voicemail, as he walked down to the sport bar to grab a few drinks, much for this night.


	6. Bad trip

It was just party, party, party. As per usual. Homework didn't matter. Friends didn't matter. Nothing else mattered. Only her. Like everyday since the beginning of his awakening. No more going through life all numb and senseless. He had something important to live for now. Nothing had been able to disrupt his five carefree months of bliss. "I fucking love you." He reminded her as they stared at another so pensively. Kagome smiled as they stood on that random street corner. "I know." She answered back with a sweet kiss. Usually she hated PDA but it was just so different with him. She wanted the whole world to see. But then he pulled back for some reason unknown to him. That whole thing about secret, singed her soul every now and the. You weren't supposed to keep them apparently. Or else she wouldn't feel so bad right? "What's wrong babes?" he asked caringly brushing a few stray hairs from her face. She shook her head. "I feel the E kicking in I think. Good shit." She lied throwing her head back for dramatic effect. "When were we supposed to meet the guys?" she asked looking across the street at the growing line for entrance into the nightclub. Some underground rave shit. Naraku pulled out his cell phone. He furrowed his brow. "Here they come now." He said spotting two out of three of his rambunctious friends. "Where's Koga?" he asked when the guys were finally in earshot. Inuyasha stared at him dubiously, lighting a cigarette. "His already inside fuck face. I know you guys are still being little bitches, but you should really keep better tabs on your best friend." He teased. "Yeah. Mine is right here." Miroku cosigned, throwing an arm over Inuyasha's shoulder. It was obviously still a touchy subject though. "Whatever." Naraku mumbled. "Party favors please?" Miroku held out his hand for the drugs he was promised. Naraku supplemented them. "Wow. Actually came through tonight." Inuyasha seemed genuinely surprised as they began to walk across the street towards the raging party. "Ten bucks a head for entrance." Naraku began subtly. "Sounds like Kikyo' going rate, huh Inuyasha?" he finished his joke of flawlessly. Miroku couldn't help but laugh. Kagome just kept her eyes straight ahead. "You're such a bastard. Fuck you." Inuyasha crossed his arms immaturely. He couldn't think of any clever quip to fire back with. "Lay off the acid maybe?" Naraku teased further giving his friend a playful shove. "Don't be such a pussy Inuyasha." A stern voice taunted him menacingly from a short distance. He turned around to be face to face with his older brother. "Shit. You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that." He grouched at him. Sesshomaru simply shrugged. "What's up man? Why are you here?" Miroku questioned as he fist bumped his brother by extension. Naraku nodded slightly. "Well I was paying a visit home from abroad, until my loving baby brother ditched me to come to some shitty rave." Sesshomaru spoke smoothly. And his eyes flickered over something familiar. It was Kagome. The same Kagome from that gorgeous month in Paris. "Abroad where?" Naraku pressed. Sesshomaru smirked. "Here and there." He said simply, sparing her. For now any way.

She should've known better. Knowing the luck she had she should of predicted one day her past would come back to haunt her. Didn't it always? She left America to escape the mess she created last year, and she left Paris to escape….Him. He still had that smug grin on his face. Like when she first met him waiting for that taxi in the pouring rain, though at the time she mistook it for charm. He was staring at her, through the crowds of people, and smog. She could feel his intense gaze. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. DON'T WORRY KAGOME, I WON'T TELL ANYONE YOUR SECRET. The text message from him read. Her hands were shaking. And before she knew it, she was outside, puking onto the pavement. "Bad trip?" a voice questioned, slightly disinterested. Kagome wiped the sweat from her face. "Yeah." She nodded solemnly, before walking back inside to find Naraku. She wanted to go home now.


	7. The conversation

Three A.M. that's what time he usually came home these days. Just avoiding the constant scrutiny. Oddly enough he was greeted by the annoying sound of his video chat request going off. STONER272 is requesting a video chat. It was Naraku, trying to reach out to him once again. Like he had been for weeks now. Koga sighed and sat down at his computer prepared to hit ignore. But then an instant message popped up. KOGA IT'S ME…KAGOME. The message said. Of course that compelled him to accept the request, and seconds later he was greeted by her pretty makeup free face in the center of his computer. "What's up Kagome?" he asked warily. This was strange. Kagome shrugged, and shook her head. She looked a little out of it, like she was upset about something. "I needed someone to talk to. Naraku's sleeping." She said lowly moving the camera slightly to reveal him sprawled out on his own bed. "Okay. Shoot." He nodded, acceptingly. He could never not be there for her when she looked at him that way. She hesitated before opening her mouth to speak. "I'm not a very good person, am I Koga?" she asked the rhetorical question. "Like everything I put you guys through last year. It was all bullshit. I mean who does that?" she spoke up again. He leaned back in his seat. "The past is in the past/" he said simply, although he didn't full believe that. Kagome leaned forward, her unkempt waves bouncing with her. "You don't really believe that, do you?" she challenged his mantra. He stared dubiously. "It'll always be there. In your head. You can't erase what's in your head." She looked off to the side miserably, after her little outburst. "You can forgive things though. Move past shit, you know, get over it." He said sounding too wise to be himself. Kagome closed her eyes for a minute. Then her intense blue orbs relit the screen. "I wish it were that simple." Her voice sounded riddled with defeat. He had no idea how much she'd been beating herself up about breaking his heart. But that wasn't it at all. "I should let you go…" she let her voice trail off as she hovered the mouse over the END CHAT button. "Kagome…You're a good person." He assured her. He honestly believed it. Deep down she was. Deep beneath the layers of armor, and seduction, she really was. Kagome smiled, as a thank you, before his screen went black.


	8. French connection

Sesshomaru couldn't help but give Naraku the once over. So this had been the guy she was 'kind of sort of in love' with. He scoffed. What made him so much better? He was just another hapless brooding stoner with shaggy hair. There was no way he was even remotely as clever as Kagome. But love was such a fleeting thing. It held no basis in the real world when you actually thought about it. But he saw the way she was with him. The concern she felt. The weakness. The care. The vulnerability. It was almost like a whole new side to her. It didn't matter who knew the secret in Paris, but it did here. He knew it would kill her if Naraku ever found out the real reason why she left Paris. But there was something he could do to spark up a new game. He scrolled through his iphone, smirking sinisterly as he came to the KAGOME photo album. There were videos too. Lots of videos. He opened up his email and attached a video. Then sent it to Naraku. She would get over it. Eventually.

Nothing prepared him at all for this. He sat there awestruck at what he was witnessing. Who understood Trigonometry anyway? Nobody he knew. "I bombed. That trig test. My grades are for shit." He complained to Kagome through his locker as he banged his head against it. She laughed. "It's fine. College is for trust fund babies anyway." She assured him jokingly. "How do you think you did?" he asked her hopefully. Kagome shrugged. "It depends on how much the teacher likes drawings of you." She said, shrugging all nonchalantly. Naraku laughed too. She completely blew off an exam. "I thought you wanted to go to Penn state?" he questioned remember how ambitious she was just a few short months ago. Kagome shrugged again. That used to be his thing. "I think I want to join the circus. You know, do that bendy thing with my legs for a living." She almost seemed to consider the idea. Naraku smiled knowingly. "Wrong profession babes. You're thinking of the oldest one." He winked at her closing his locker and planting a supportive kiss on her forehead. "Anyway, what would I do when you're on the road?" she had to smile at his newfound optimism. A relationship had done him some good. "Come with me. Duh." She said grabbing his hand and leading him toward the cafeteria. "And we can have little bearded children." He concluded the conversation as they made their way over to the table in the very back of the crowded space. "No I'd rather have Siamese twins." She corrected him. He shook his head at her, before reaching in his back pocket to pry out his vibrating cell phone. That was weird. It was from Sesshomaru. ENJOY. That's all it said. He scrolled down further. There was a video attachment. Kagome looked over his shoulder when she saw his brow furrow. It was some video. A video of her sitting alone on a bed, barely clothed. Then two seconds later she was sandwiched between two guys. Naraku couldn't watch it anymore. "You have to let me explain." She began desperately seeing his face tighten in utter disgust. "Explain what? You let two French guys fuck you while someone recorded it. I'm not that stupid Kagome." He said to her bitingly. It was sickening. She shook her head as the tear welled up. Sadly, that wasn't even the half of it. What could she say to make this any better. Nothing. That's right. It was quiet for a long time before he spoke again. "I loved you. You ruined it." He whispered devastatingly, before leaving her alone at the empty table.


	9. Happy birthday

It was exactly what he wanted to happen. Master manipulator Sesshomaru wins again. Kagome frowned down at the lone text message from her mother. HI HONEY. PAOLO AND I ARE BACK HOME FROM PARIS! She deleted it. And the seventy or so messages Paolo had sent her himself. She wiped her face clean of black tears as she poised her fist to knock at his apartment door. He answered it, like he knew it would be her. Of course it was. He didn't have any friends. He was shirtless as he leaned against his doorframe. Arms flexed, pseudo tribal tattoos on his hips and arms exposed. "I wasn't expecting you tonight." He lied staring her up and down. She pushed past him and walked in to the swanky apartment, his rich daddy was no doubt paying for. She sat down on his couch and lit a cigarette. "You fucking suck." She growled at him. That was an understatement. He shrugged. "You too." He sat down beside her and offered her some of the coke he'd been enjoying before she showed up. "Their back. I have nowhere to go. I can't stay here anymore." She admitted tonelessly, staring down at the fine white powder. Sesshomaru shrugged. "Then I guess it's time for a little road trip doll face." He suggested offhandedly. Kagome just glared at him dubiously. Life was just one big game to him wasn't it. "Can I ask you something Sesshomaru?" her voice sounded far off. "Ask away." "Have you ever been in love?" she asked the stupefying question. Not why? She knew why he did the things he did. Just because he could. He shrugged. "It's not for me." He said trivially taking another hit. "Do you want to know what it feels like?" she asked still coolly. "I guess." He mumbled. Kagome stood up and punched him in the nose. "What the fuck?" he grumbled wiping the blood with the back of his hand. She smirked to herself as she sat back down on the couch beside him.

Everyone had been pretty sensitive not to bring up the whole breakup situation. Not that it mattered anyway. They were finished. Donzoe. Love sucked. Lesson learned. Koga could bask in the fact that he got his heart ripped out too. He expected that Monday to be pretty awkward but surprisingly queen of heartbreak hadn't shown up. Or Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday. What did he care. She could do whatever she wanted. Fuck who ever she wanted now. He could empathize a lot with Inuyasha now, which was pretty disturbing. Having a complete whore for a girlfriend was not as great as it sounded in theory. But then why did he cry when he changed his facebook status from In A Relationship With Kagome H. to Single? "Look who pulled himself together this morning." Kagura lauded him satirically as he wobbled into the kitchen with bloodshot eyes. His mom smiled up at him and presented a short stack of pancakes topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. He sat down and glared at the display. "You used to love when I fancied up your pancakes." She rubbed his hunched over shoulder in that motherly sort of way. Naraku shrugged away from her irritably. "Come on baby bro. It's your birthday." Kagura cheered putting a lame party hat on his head against his will. Then the singing began. Some fucking birthday. "Happy birthday asshole." Inuyasha greeted him holding out his last cigarette. Cheap bastard. Miroku at least bothered to wrap his gift. In used newspaper. It was a bong. "Thanks." He accepted the bogus attempts at gift giving. Koga's was the best one yet. A half empty bottle of tequila. "So, have you heard from her?" Koga asked concerned, as he watched his best friend go through the motions of pretending to be fine. It wasn't easy to get over a girl like Kagome. He shook his head. "So that's it then. She never existed." Koga offered up as almost a sort of peace treaty. Kagome was gone. Again. Maybe for good this time since there was no ones heart left to break. Naraku nodded, taking a thoughtful swig of his birthday present. "Happy birthday." Koga muttered blowing on an obnoxious festive noisemaker.

The path was fuzzy, and things kept fading in and out. Pretty soon she was singing along to the radio while Sesshomaru laughed at her. "My mom keeps calling me." She murmured looking at her phone again. Sesshomaru took it from her and threw it out the window. "Ill get you a better one." He promised her, as if that's all that mattered. There was no point arguing it with him. "Where are we going?" she asked forcing herself to sit up. But to no avail. "It's a surprise." He assured her. "Why am I so sleepy?" she asked leaning against the window of the stealth luxury car. Sesshomaru smirked. "Because I drugged you." He admitted plainly. "Okay." Kagome yawned before nodding of into a deep drug induced haze.


	10. Mexico city

Weeks had gone by. Then a month. He was stupid to expect the elusive Kagome to give a fuck about what they had. He was breaking his pact with Koga, continuously reading those postcards over and over again. All one hundred of them. But it was over. School was over, and she was really gone. He burned them, one by one. Something he should've done a long time ago. It was sort of satisfying. He had that power over her at least. He scoffed. She was probably on a beach somewhere fucking handsome foreign dudes. "I'm going out." He muttered, motoring down the stairs towards the front door. "Naraku, hold on a minute." His mother demanded before he closed the door behind him. He halted. Finally noticing who was there with her. Kagome's mom. "What's going on?" he questioned wearily, stepping into the living room. He looked between the two of them. His mom was compassionate looking, while Mina looked sleep deprived. "It's Kagome." She began, then started to sob uncontrollably. "She's missing. There's no sign of her anywhere." His mother finished for her. He was confused. He figured she had gallivanted back to France with her mother or something. Like she usually did when she fucked up. "We haven't spoken in weeks. Since we broke up." He assured the weeping woman. "I went to the police. But there's nothing they can do. My baby is really gone." She cried sinking back down onto the couch. Naraku had to take a step back. Her disappearing act was more serious then he thought.

They were on top of the world it seemed. Standing on the edge of the cliff like it was nothing. Two birds of a feather. "Hola! Me llamo Sesshomaru!" he greeted the people in the bar. They stared at him dubiously, and then cheered. "This es mi amiga Kagome." He introduced her to the group of young men. They leered at her unabashedly. "Hola Kagome." They all cheered. She laughed taking shots with them. "Hola!" she shouted. "This beats the hell out of exams right?" he asked her over the loud mariachi music. She nodded. "Viva Mexico city!" she cheered. "Viva!" the guys chimed in making her crackup.


	11. Heavy water

His antics weren't as fun anymore. That's how it always was. Fun at first, then she just didn't know what to think. Another Party. She sighed as they made it in, obviously outsiders. "Perk up doll face. I think Juan Valdez over there wants to show you a good time." Sesshomaru joked abrasively. He was jealous. Kagome could sense it. So she blatantly gave the guy a lethal dose of her bedroom eyes. He smiled and nudged his friends. They all stared at Kagome. And she milked it further, dancing to the music, completely aware of the five guys ogling her. Sesshomaru stood back, fuming slightly. "What's wrong cupcake?" she teased him, pulling him onto the dance floor. He stood there stiffly as she danced around him. Then a slow song came on. Kagome wrapped her arms around him. "They're gone you know." He informed her, uncomfortable with the intimacy. She nodded as she rested her head against his shoulder. She could almost pretend he was Naraku. But he wasn't. She started to cry. Sesshomaru swayed to the music, holding onto her tightly. "I want to go home Sesshomaru." She whispered miserably. "I can't let you do that." He admitted apologetically.

It was getting pretty difficult to deny her existence when posters of her were plastered everywhere. "Where are you Kagome?" he asked an old picture of her. She stared at him with those piercing eyes of hers, as if she held all the knowledge in the world. Two months now. It was all so surreal. Then his laptop lit up. DEAFULT00 is requesting a video chat. He leapt up from his bed to accept. And none other then Kagome was sitting in front of the camera, looking alive as ever. He was too relived to be angry. "You're okay." He breathed feeling that hollowness in his chest dissipate. She nodded. "Where are you Kagome?" he asked trying to look past her, beyond the camera. "I'm safe." She said simply. Her eyes were dreary. He shook his head at her. "You should see the mess you made. You're moms got the whole town looking for you." He said bitterly. "I didn't think she would care…" her voice trailed off. Naraku shrugged. "You thought wrong." And it was silent again. "You never think do you? About how your actions effect other people. People that love you. You just do whatever the fuck you want." He was angry now. "You don't care. You fuck up, then you run away." He scolded her further. She just sat there and took it. His anger was well warranted. "I'm sorry." She whispered pathetically tearing up. "That's all you have to say for yourself?" he felt so much frustration seeping through. "This isn't what I wanted." She cried making his heart feel under siege. He made her cry. He'd done that. "Help me." She begged him before he heard a door slam, and the screen went black. "Kagome!" he hollered clicking the request button over and over again. "Shit. Fucking answer me Kagome." He cursed until the camera turned back on. "Kagome can't really talk right now. Leave a message at the beep." Sesshomaru said before closing out of the chat once again.


	12. Que sera

His eyes were murderous. "What the fuck are you trying to pull here?" he asked her in an even voice. The anger still got through though. "I didn't think you would mind." She lied apologetically, not really sure if this whole arrangement had been his idea in the first place. She sighed. It was. "Well you shouldn't assume." He shot back, still glaring her down. The dim lighting in the motel didn't do her any justice. "The point of running away, is to not give away your location." He reminded her with a slight smirk on his face. Kagome shook her head. "I'm sick of running." She whispered before getting up, and disappearing onto the bathroom. Probably to cry again. Sesshomaru stared after her listlessly. Finally. Someone as miserable as him. "Well, if it isn't my darling baby brother." Sesshomaru answered his phone snidely after receiving an incoming call from Inuyasha. "Cut the bullshit already. I know she's with you." Inuyasha accused severely. He hemmed. The word had gotten out faster then he thought. "I have no clue what you're talking about little brother." He concluded before hanging up his phone, and throwing it against the wall.

The police wouldn't help much. What did they have to gain? So he decided to take it into his own hands. That's how much he loved her. That's how much he cared. "So one last adventure?" Inuyasha joked lightly as they all piled into his car. Sesshomaru wasn't as clever as he thought. His phones location device led them right to Mexico city. "You guys don't have to do this." Naraku objected one last time for good measure. "Don't' be stupid. This isn't for you. We wanted to go to Cancun anyway." Miroku joked making him smile a little bit. "Shot gun." Koga called before hopping into the passenger seat. Inuyasha glared at him. "You smell like beef jerky." He complained. Koga smirked. "And you smell like ass." He shot back. "You all smell like ass." A female voice offered in slightly humored. It was Kikyo. Inuyasha caught himself before he said something stupid. His ex girlfriend was standing in his garage looking pretty and single. "Who let you in?" he asked staring at her dubiously. She shrugged. "Your mom. She thinks we're still together for some reason…" she let her voice trail off vacantly. His face was red. "Yeah. Sorry about that." He apologized out of embarrassment. He never bothered to relay that information. "It's cool. I wouldn't want her to hate me. I love your mom." She said quietly. He stared her up and down. She looked… Not a mess at all. "I wanted to talk. About us." She started up again. "Um. Sorry Kikyo we're kind of in the middle of a rescue mission." Naraku interrupted their little reunion leaning up to the front. "That's right. We're going to Mexico." He gave her the details. Her eyes brightened up. "Can I come?" she asked optimistically. Inuyasha didn't even hesitate to kick Koga out of the passengers seat. "Humph. I didn't know we were allowed to bring girlfriends." Miroku complained as they drove off into the dusk.


	13. Cry wolf

"Why the fuck did you bring me here?" Kagome grumbled as they sat on he beach together, seeming like a pair of young lovers to by passers. He scoffed and put his arm around her lovingly. He made them leave again. His was getting to be a bit tiring. Even for her. "Who doesn't love the beach." He dismissed her negative attitude. "Smile doll face." He teased her further, taking a picture of her scowling with his digital camera. "Fuck you." She muttered before disappearing down towards the other end of the beach. Children were playing. All smiles and laughter as she trudged around looking like she hadn't seen sleep for days. With hands shoved deep in the pockets of his worn leather jacket. Yeah. They were that badass. She didn't even care that she stepped all over some poor kids sand castle. No one ever said how hard running away was. "You won't do it." Sesshomaru challenged her as she stood at the edge of a jagged cliff jus off the beach. She was teetering over. She whipped around to glare at him, but it didn't hold much gravity with tears streaming down her face. "He loved me. He really did, and you fucked everything up." She accused him. The pain was so evident in her voice it almost made him falter. "If he really loved you, that stupid skin flick wouldn't of changed things." He objected. It was sound reasoning. He stepped closer to her, holding her face between his hands. "But if he ever found out your little secret, he'd probably never want to look at you." He began slyly. "Me on the other hand, I don't mind your little flaws." His voice irritated her a that point. "He'd still love me." She tried to sound firm in her belief as she pushed away from him. "You think?" he asked skeptically. Kagome nodded. "Then why hasn't he even tried to find you yet?" he left her with those paring words before climbing back down the rock mountain. Kagome sunk to the dirt floor and cried.

It was hot. He desert air was dry. And there weren't enough car air fresheners in the world to rid Koga's stench of beef and B.O. "Turn the air up." Miroku complained, his shirt was already off. "We're almost out of gas. Shut the fuck up and go back to sleep." Inuyasha hollered from the front sea. Miroku gulped down a water bottle and sulked. Naraku just sat back in his own head space. It had been like that for most of the trip. Miroku complaining, Koga stinking, and Inuyasha and Kikyo exchanging meaningful glances with one another. I kind of made him reminisce about his own once existent love life. And then the sun set again. He was starting to loose his gull. "We're gonna find her man." Koga's voice reached him from the backseat, as he drove through the midnight hour, voluntarily of course. Was his self doubt that obvious. Or were things with Koga finally getting back to normal. "I feel like…" "Apart of you is missing." Koga finished for him. "Yeah." He said quietly. "I need some sort of sign. Just to know that I'm doing the right thing." He piped up again after awhile. "You love her. I'm pretty sure that's enough." Koga offered reassurance. Things were quiet. Except for the sound of Inuyasha's massive snoring. "Then what? What happens to us?" Naraku asked, looking back at his best friend. He meant in general. Koga shrugged. "We duke it out one last time. Just to see if Kagome changed her mind." He joked heartily. Naraku had to laugh. Yeah. Things were starting to get back to normal.


	14. Red woman

They started in bars first. Asking everyone "Have you seen this girl?" of course half the people they asked had no clue what they were talking about. Then they just started to plaster her face everywhere. Somebody had to of seen something right? Convenience stores, markets, parks, still nothing. Then three days went by. Three days of absolutely nothing. "Toke?" Inuyasha offered him wryly as he spotted his hopeless friend sitting alone outside their motel. He took the blunt, and inhaled roughly. He figured he'd try and be a good friend. "How are you and Kikyo?" Naraku asked dully. Inuyasha shrugged. "We'll be fine. We're going to State together, so I guess I'll see how that goes." He mumbled candidly. "Or maybe I'll meet some hot senorita down here." He joked as they passed the dwindling joint back and forth. Naraku smiled briefly, but then his face fell again. "He would never like…hurt her." Inuyasha piped up again, inquiring about his brother. "He's a pretty twisted guy, but I know he has heart. Somewhere. Deep down." He murmured. Naraku nodded. That didn't ease anything though. He still wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

They made their home on the beach. Just he clothes on their backs and a pit of fire to keep the nights warm. "Once upon a time, there was this girl, and everyone loved her. But she only loved one special person. But she didn't know how to love. And then she died. The end." Kagome told her story as she laid flat on her back in the sand. Sesshomaru chuckled. She was a lot more fun when she was wasted. She just stared up at the moon wondering what Naraku could be doing right then and there. She let her mind close off as Sesshomaru began to kiss her. His hands traced her every detail, down to the mole on her hip. He loved having that power over her. "You have to stop thinking about him." He demanded rolling on to his back once he was finished. Kagome just watched the flames dance around before her eyes. Until she fell asleep.

She managed to break away from him for just a minute, surprisingly. The streets were packed. Some sort of festival or something. If he did end up noticing she ran off, it would take him a while to find her. "Fuck. What's the fucking number." She growled in the phone booth, as she frantically tried variations of a certain phone number. Her heart skipped a beat when she finally heard ringing on the other end. "Hello?" the voice asked roughly. Her heart stopped then. "Hello? Who is this?" he asked starting to sound irritated. Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat. "Naraku, It's me." Her voice whispered hoarsely into the receiver. He was quiet for along time. Trying to gather his thoughts. "Where are you?" he asked desperately. She wiped her eyes clear. "I don't know. Somewhere in Mexico. There's this parade…I don't know." She began frantically looking around. "I don't know. You have to help me. Please." She cried into his ear. It broke his heart. But the line went dead before he answered. "Hello? Naraku!" Kagome screamed banging the phone against he plastic booth. "Don't make a scene." Sesshomaru demanded pulling her arm along through the crowded street.


	15. Hell hounds

"Let me go!" she screamed over and over again, pulling away from him. "Kagome!" he hollered pushing through the crowds and crowds of people. There were so many people. He could no longer see her retreating figure. "I'm the only thing you've got. Remember that." He shouted, just for her to hear. Of course his words go to her. But she ran. It was just something she did. But she stopped herself; she really had nowhere to go this time. "I knew you'd come to your senses." He teased offering her his hand, as he reached down to her from his elevated place on a parade platform. This was the last place she'd ever want to be. Sesshomaru handed her pills and a spiked water bottle. "Come on. Live a little." He teased, throwing back a few himself. She watched his pupils widen. Then the rest was a blur.

The prowled the mobbed street festival looking for any sign of her. That brief phone call had been their best lead yet. But still not enough. "Hola! Hola!" Koga cheered walking through the streets. It was the only Spanish he knew. "Kagome!" Naraku persistently called even though it was foolish to think he'd ever find her here. He'd never even gotten past the first page of Where's Waldo. Where the fuck was Waldo? Hiding behind a magazine kiosk right? He groaned, grabbing handfuls of his scruffy hair. What was the point of doing all this. She broke his heart. She tore it up into a billion pieces hen fed it to the raptors. But then he remembered something. He loved her. "Kagome!" he called again. This was ridiculous. This was futile. How many parades could there be in one city? He climbed onto a parade float to get a better vantage point. "Kagome!" he called looking around frantically. Nothing. Just more music and confetti.

That dizzy feeling kept coming back. Then the blacking out at some points. "I'm fine." She assured him grudgingly, as she laid on the dirty public restroom floor. At that point she didn't really care. At that point it was the most comfortable bed in the world. "You're not fine. Shit. I think your overdosing." He panicked trying to shake her awake. Her eyes fluttered but she wouldn't fully open them. What's Spanish for emergency?" he asked mostly to himself, trying to rack his brain. "Stay right there. Don't lay on your back." He commanded before disappearing outside to look for help. "Emergencia!" he yelled. "Donde esta hospitala?" he asked people. They spoke these words to him that he didn't fully understand in response. "El hospital?" a man asked, and he pointed in some vague direction. Sesshomaru was prepared to probe the guy for more answers, until he had a fist come into direct contact with his face. He was on the ground, cupping his bloody lip. "Where the fuck is she?" Naraku asked in a dangerously low voice, kneeling down to his eye level. Sesshomaru punched him back. "You shouldn't disrespect me, when I hold the key to your little girlfriends' livelihood." Sesshomaru sneered at him through a devious grin as he loomed over him. "Don't fuck with me Sesshomaru. Where is she? Where the fuck is Kagome?" he hollered grabbing the arrogant bastard by the collar of his shirt. Sesshomaru smiled before answering. "Somewhere close by. Although it might be to late already. When I left her she was about to OD." His response earned him a head butt from Naraku. "I'm not playing with you man. I will kill you if anything ever happens to her." He threatened darkly. "I don't play. I win." Sesshomaru shot back, kneeing him in the crotch then kicking him once he was down. "She's in the bathroom. Tick tock. Precious time wasted." He laughed before walking away, leaving him winded on the ground. Naraku gathered himself as fast as he could before bursting through people and into the bathroom. Every stall. He could almost feel her. And there she was, laying flat on her stomach. "Kagome." He breathed, laying down to be with her. She could recognize hat voice anywhere. A slow smile spread across her lips. "You found me." She whispered.


	16. The conversation deux

He nodded. She looked so helpless. Like this was the smallest he'd ever seen her. "Everything's okay." He lied, taking her hand. She could sense his worry. "Why?" she whispered curling her small fingers around his. Her breath caught on to the linoleum floor and it misted. "Why do you care what happens to me?" she challenged him meekly. After everything she put him through, he still managed to come to her rescue. "You know why." He scoffed laying his cheek against the cold floor. This was it wasn't it? He could feel himself crying, but his voice wouldn't give it away. "Do you remember the first time we met," her voice began without the slightest bit of worry. "In the library. And you couldn't look me in the eye when we both reached for that stupid Odyssey book. I smiled the whole day, because our hands touched." She explained subtly jogging his memory. "But I felt so stupid, for loving someone I didn't even know. I never felt that way before in my life. About anything." She admitted. It was true; she went through life for seventeen years, just living. "It was like I was sleeping for so long…. And you finally woke me up." Her grip was weakening. "I didn't feel so empty with you." He continued to listen to her pour her heart out. He wasn't used to this. She usually let her actions speak for her. "I'm sorry for loving you." She whispered before letting go of his hand. "Naraku!" Koga shouted bursting in the restroom to find his best friend crying on the floor.

She would be fine. At least that's what the doctor had said. But he couldn't help but sit awake every night by her bedside. Alone mostly. The guys had taken this little excursion as a vacation opportunity. He didn't blame them. This was a pretty glum way to spend your time in Mexico. She hadn't woken up yet. After two whole days. "How is she?" Mina asked from the doorway. He was surprised she found the time to make it down here. Naraku shrugged. "She's alive." He said trivially. She nodded solemnly stepping further into the hospital room. "I hope they find that boy and lock him up." She said bitterly, lighting a cigarette. Sesshomaru was long gone by now. He called for help, then ran for the border. He was probably drinking champagne on some first class flight to Thailand or something. Mina struggled with her words. "I'm divorced once again… Paolo couldn't help his sick little attraction to my daughter so I had to call it quits." It almost sounded like she was angry about it. "She's beautiful isn't she? She can't help it. That's why everyone loves her." She continued to speak, unprompted. "That's not why I love her." Naraku said simply, before getting up to walk out. Maybe it wasn't to late to enjoy Mexico.


	17. The graduate

Graduation. It wasn't the momentous occasion he expected. Mexico had served him a little good. A two week vacation in the sun sans Kagome drama. And it was sort of hilarious that Miroku got sunburn after falling asleep on the beach. But he was officially an adult now. An eighteen year old adult with at least a high school education under his belt. He was definitely the slacker out of their quartet seeing as though Inuyasha and Koga had both managed to some how make it to state school, and Miroku had a partial scholarship to Dartmouth. Of course Sango's stellar grades had somewhat inspired his academic overload mode. But they didn't have to worry about that now. They had all summer to be sentimental. "When am I ever getting anywhere with you?" Koga continued to hassle Kagura about hooking up with him. She nearly laughed in his face. "In your dreams." She refuted pushing him back down onto the couch. The guys all laughed at him and his persistence. He'd been barking up that tree since seventh grade. "She wants me." Koga assured them, smirking. "Naraku, this came for you." His mom came into the living room, handing him some sort of official looking envelope. "I didn't know you applied to NYU." She questioned, looming over his shoulder as he opened it. "Yeah. I forgot about that. For photography I think." He shrugged nonchalantly. As if he even had a chance. But then his mom was kissing him on the cheek. So he hadn't misread it. He had gotten in. Even though he had picked something to major in at the last possible second, with the constant nagging of the guidance counselor though. "Oh, this too. I think it's from Kagome." Through all the excitement, she almost forgot to give him the second piece of mail. She kissed him on the forehead again as he examined the postcard. Everyone else was quiet. "Where'd she go this time?" Koga asked sympathetically, sitting down beside his friend. "It says California. So much for loving me I guess." He scoffed shaking his head slightly at her and her ways. She would never change. "Sorry man." Miroku offered, putting a firm hand on his shoulder. He let the flimsy postcard fall to the floor at his feet.

It was raining again. That's all it ever seemed to do there. Sesshomaru watched, as the young woman deftly tried to hail a cab in this weather. He finished off his cigarette, before pulling up beside her in his coupe. Her long black hair was soaked and sticking to her face and the back of her neck. And she didn't even have adequate clothing on. Just a breezy sundress that now clung to her body. "You need a ride?" he asked kindly, opening his door for her. The girl smiled, and got in the warm dry car. "Thank you so much….." He smiled. She was American. "Sesshomaru," he filled in the blank for her. "Cool. I'm Rin." She replied, wringing the water from her hair. "Rin." He played with the sound of her name in his throat. "It suits you." He complimented her. Her childish aura amused him. He would have fun with this one.


	18. Jesus' daughter

"I'm seriously fine mom." Naraku assured his mother for about the hundredth consecutive time that week. "Well, the reason I don't call you every second of everyday, is because I have classes. You know college." He postured getting onto the bus headed down town. He sighed. It had only been about three weeks since he left home and classes began. "I got to go. Bad reception." He lied, quickly hanging up his phone. She worried too much. She thought he was going to get mugged or something like that. He got lost in his own thought process for a minute. Life was pretty stagnant. Nothing too thrilling going on. The occasional party here and there, and the weekend visits back home, but that was it. He sort of liked that whole element of starting over completely fresh. No one knew him here. "Can I sit there?" this lovely voice chimed in his ear. He looked, almost mistaken. But it was non other than Kagome, smiling down at him, after several months hiatus. Something she was infamous for. He moved his backpack from the seat. He was at a loss for words. Partly because he was sick of this little dance they had going on. She would screw up, disappear for months then show up unexpectedly. And then partly because he still, felt the same way about her, surprisingly. "Good to see you Kagome?" she spoke for him, she smiled hopefully. "How?" he asked, completely mystified. She shrugged. "I asked Koga about you when I went back home. Then the rest was easy." She gave him that cryptic answer. Something else she was known for. "I asked around campus, and some guy pointed you out." She elaborated. He nodded acceptingly. He was surprised at the amount of effort on her part. "You're not seeing anyone are you?" she asked with this earnest look in her eyes. He shook his head. Nobody special anyway. "Why did you leave again? I went looking for you and everything, and you just…..left." he asked warily. He wasn't so angry anymore. Just confused. She told him all that stuff in Mexico, then retracted it just like that. "I know. I just needed to find myself. You know, do some soul searching." Her voice trailed off, as he stared at her intently. He smirked slightly. "What'd you find?" he asked humorously. "Jesus." She answered boldly, like it was something typical for her. He looked down, finally noticing the crucifix around her neck. Great she was now crazy and religious. "That's different." He commended her. "Yeah. I figured, why not believe in something good right?" she toyed with the cross around her neck. It was quiet again. "Photography huh?" she asked noticing the camera and equipment he had. "It suits you. You've always been able to see the good in things." She was happy for him. Really. And she wasn't about to screw things up for him like she inevitably would. She planted a sweet kiss on his cheek, before getting off the bus. "Hey!" he called after her. He'd gotten off too even though his stop wasn't for blocks. Kagome turned around to face him. "You can't just show up like this and then leave again." He scolded, catching up to her. Kagome shrugged. "Your life's going great. I don't want to mess it up for you." She postured meekly. "Then you should've just stayed away." He said coldly. She wiped a tear from her eye. "You're right/" she whispered apologetically. He pulled her into a kiss anyway. The deep meaningful one that he'd missed. The one that made him feel like not breathing was natural. "But I'm glad you didn't." he finished his sentiment. She couldn't believe he still held a flame for her after all this time. They held hands and walked down the sidewalk, like it always should've been.


End file.
